ON THIS DAY: Back in May 2024, Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard prepared himself for an Anfield reunion in Saudi Arabia, with goalkeeper coach John Achterberg joining him for seven months
Football moves at an astonishing pace. Only a year ago, Liverpool fans were fearing the worst with Jurgen Klopp weeks away from saying his Anfield farewell and Xabi Alonso snubbing an offer to return to the club as boss.
Those worries have long since been forgotten thanks to Arne Slot’s incredible first season at the helm, where, despite making just one outfield signing, he helped the club clinch a record 20th league title with four games left to play. The Reds are now riding high with dreams of an even greater 2025/26 season thanks to Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk signing new contracts.
For legendary club captain Steven Gerrard, too, the past year has been a rollercoaster, but not for the right reasons. Boyhood Red Gerrard made the bold decision to join the Saudi Arabian hype train in July 2023, becoming the manager of Al-Ettifaq seven months after a failed tenure at Aston Villa.
This time last year, the 2005 Champions League-winning skipper was nearing the end of his first season in Saudi. He endured a tougher time than he would have expected thanks to injuries and the sudden departure of his star player, Jordan Henderson, whom he had signed from his former club in January 2024.
His side finished in a disappointing sixth place in the Saudi Pro League. Yet, while Liverpool were still reeling from Klopp’s impending departure, Gerrard saw it as an opportunity to poach John Achterberg, the Reds’ long-time goalkeeping coach.
Achterberg decided to follow the German out of the door in search of new opportunities. He joined the likes of Pepijn Lijnders, Peter Krawietz and Vitor Matos in the mass exodus, with Klopp’s successor expected to bring with him his own coaches.
Achterberg had been a part of Liverpool’s backroom staff since 2009 and was appointed first-team coach in 2011. He famously played a key role in identifying current No. 1 Alisson Becker as a potential target before the Brazilian signed from Roma in a £67million deal in 2018.
And his relationship with Gerrard from their time together at Liverpool led the Dutchman to officially accept an offer to become Al-Ettifaq’s goalkeeping coach in June 2024.
Yet, Al-Ettifaq would fare even worse in Gerrard’s second season, and the manager’s Liverpool reunion with Achterberg would be short-lived. With his side languishing in 12th place, with just 11 points secured after 10 games, Al-Ettifaq bosses decided to sack Gerrard’s assistant manager, Dean Holden, and sporting director Mark Allen.
Gerrard was on thin ice, having been booed by his own fans. Despite initially escaping the sack, his poor run of results continued.
He would finally leave his role as manager by mutual consent in January 2025, 18 months after taking the helm. Gerrard said a year after signing a two-year extension: “Football is unpredictable and sometimes things don’t go the way we want.
“However, I leave with great respect for the club and the country. I have no doubt that the work being done will bring success in the future, and I wish the team the very best for the rest of the season.”
Since then, his successor Saad Al-Shehri has helped Al-Ettifaq climb to seventh in the table. Achterberg, who only worked alongside Gerrard for seven months, was kept on as a goalkeeping coach.
Gerrard is yet to take on a new role in the months since his failed Saudi project. He has been linked with the Southampton job and was the odds-on favourite to return to Rangers, who he led to an unbeaten Scottish Premiership title in 2021.
But reports have since played down that prospect by saying the Ibrox side want a manager “with no previous involvement” with the club.
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